Kahn: "Jonny Flynn's not being traded"

David Kahn wasn't going to talk to the media after this morning's summer-league team workouts at Target Center, but he decided to do so after word spread that he might be trading Jonny Flynn to Cleveland, perhaps in a last-ditch effort by the Cavs to keep LeBron James there.

This is what he said first:

"Jonny Flynn's not being traded."

Then he said this:

"At this time of year, as I've said I hope very candidly, everybody on our roster is open for discussion. But with Jonny, in the entire year that he has been here, we've had discussion about Jonny with a grand total of two teams in both cases, his agents have been appraised of it.

"We're not looking to move Jonny Flynn. At the same time, we're not in the position where we just say no, we won't talk. At this time of year, there's just a lot of talk. The proliferation of new media has added a new layer of seriousness to what really are kind of casual discussions into imminent moves. Typically, it doesn't work that way. Some deals are discussed literally for years before they come to fruition.

"For whatever reason, some teams feel it's important to put things out there as if it can actually change behavior. I don't think it has any impact on behavior one way or the other."

Flynn didn't talk to the media after the summer-league team worked out together this morning for the first time. A team spokesman said he'll talk tomorrow, which implies he'll still be a Timberwolf tomorrow.

You look at the Cavs roster and what's there that the Wolves would want, other than young power forward J.J. Hickson?

Other things:

* The Wolves brought free agents David Lee, Travis Outlaw and Luke Ridnour to town for visits since Saturday. Outlaw today reportedly has agreed to a five-year, $35 million deal with New Jersey.

I asked Kahn if the Wolves were still in the game to sign Lee, who could be traded to Golden State in a package for Anthony Randolph if LeBron doesn't choose the Knicks tonight.

"I wouldn't characterize it as a game," Kahn said. "We like him a lot. I think David is a really high quality, high character player who has a lot of skill and talent. But when you say if we're in the game, it's as if we're fighting for some thing. I wouldn't characterize it as that. At this time of year, and especially the way our team is, there are numerous dierctions we could head. We are not in total control of the situaiton...It's complicated. We're definitely in discussions -- put it that way -- but nothing is imminent.

* Former Timberwolf Ryan Gomes is looking lean and is sporting a new hairdo that evokes J.R. Reid from NBA years gone by while working out with some of his former teammates at Target Center. He was there this morning working alongside Al Jefferson, Ryan Hollins and Ramon Sessions even though he's headed elsewhere, to Toronto perhaps.

* Take it for what it's worth, but after watching informal workotus at Target Center Wolves broadcaster Jim Petersen is raving about the athleticism the Wolves have added with Wes Johnson and Martell Webster.

*The Wolves added former draft pick Rick Rickert, Japanese forward Kosuke Takeuchi and former Wisconsin-River Falls forward Rich Melzer, a former Minneapolis Washburn grad who has played in Europe, Australia, New Zealand and the D League for years, to their summer-league roster.

* Kahn said Thursday morning he expects to finalize the signings of Darko Milicic and Nikola Pekovic by Sunday and hopes to have rookies Johnson and Lazar Hayward signed by Monday's first summer-league game, although it's not essential he do so by then.

* Kahn got Biblical when I asked him about some of these deals made in recent days, such as $34 million for Amir Johnson and $35 million for Travis Outlaw.

Remember this is the guy who guaranteed Darko $16 million for four years.

"Well, lest he who is without sin cast the first stone," Kahn said. "I've fielded a lot of questions about Darko's contract over the last several days. I feel very comfortable with what we did and especially with the way we capped our exposure, assuming that's the way it finally ends up. If people say, It'd be very hypocritical for me to turn around and say how could they do that? I don't want to participate in that. It is what it is."

Jerry Zgoda missed the entire Kevin Garnett era, but he's back covering the Timberwolves after working the beat for their first four seasons two decades ago. In between, he covered a bit of everything: Gopher men's and women's basketball and NCAA athletics, golf, outdoor recreation, sports media and a little Vikings and Twins.